Fire extinguisher



Patented Apr.r23, 1935 1 v UNITED VSTATES PATENT OFFICE 1,998,721 I lFIRE'EXTINGISHER- Ralph Z. Hopkins, Detroit, Mich. f Application April25, 1932, serial No. 607,32s1- 6 claims. (o1. 169-26) This inventionrelates to iire extinguishers and Before explaining in detail thepresent invenparticularly, although not exclusively, to that tion it isto be understood that the invention is general type employing afrangible container or not limited in its application to the details ofreceptacle, such'as glass,` adapted` to contain a construction andarrangement of parts illusfv 5 quantity of re extinguishing fluid, andalso trat-ed in the accompanying drawing, sincethe 5 utilizing a hammerdevice controlled by a fusible invention is Vcapable `of otherembodiments .and substance adapted to lfuse or meltat a predeof beingpracticed or carried out in various ways. termined temperature forreleasing thehammer Also it is to be understood that the phraseologydevice under spring pressure so that the hammer or terminology employedherein is for the purpose 10 Will break thecontainer and release thefire exof description and not of limitation, and it is not 10tinguishing fluid. intended to limit the. invention claimed herein Anobjectof the present invention is to probeyond the requirement of theprior art. vide a fire extinguisher of the foregoing character In onevform of the invention ras illustrated in in which a iireextinguishingfluidvmay be used the drawing, the iirel extinguisher comprises a whichis of a character adapted .to react rapidly container 9 which isypreferably in the form of a l5 upon exposure to theatmosphere'andproduce a glass jar provided with va filling neck M The gas or vaporblanket effective to extinguish the receptacle preferably contains afluid, such for re. In accordance with one aspect of the inexample ascarbon tetrachloride, which upon ex vention wherein it is ,desiredtoutilize a fire exposure to the atmosphere will react and produce atinguishing material Vof this character and pregas heavier than air.`Other suitable extin- 20 vent any danger of tampering with 'the deviceguishing fluid may be employed as desired. The or of decomposition ofthe fluid, the invention neck I0 of the container is preferably providedcontemplates the yprovision of means for permawitha horizontal rib Iliaand in the presentin nently sealing the container. Y stance is closedbymeans of ametal cap II.v This A further object of the invention is toprocap is first stamped into cup shapeto embrace the 25 vide a fireextinguisher in which the hammer deneck of the jar, a gasket I2 beinginterposed bevice is held in retracted position under spring tween thecap and the upper edge of the neck, pressure by means of a Vfusibleelement and in and is :then mechanicallyrolled around and be- Which theforce of the spring is transmitted in neathvthe rib or flange Illaproducing a tight and reduced ratio tothe fusible means therebyprepermanentlyV sealed joint. Where it is desired to 30 55 removal.

`venting any danger of the release of the fusible suspend the devicefroml the wall, the cap II means at a temperature lower than that atwhich may be provided with anintegrally projecting the device is settooperate.' A .l f hanger 'member I3 extending from the 4rolled Y Otherobjects of this invention Will appear in edge of the cap and providedwith an aperture by the following descriptionv and appended claims,means of which the device may be attached to 30 Yreference being had tothe accompanying drawthe wall I5 through the medium of a screw or a ingforming a part of thisspecication wherein hook I4. A

Ylike referencey characters designate correspond- The operating'mechanism is carried in the ing parts in the several views. Y .o presentinstance by means of a suitable metal 40 In said 'drawing'v Fig. 1'iS'fafSide elevation, supporting plate I6 preferably shaped to the 40partly broken away, illustrating va fire eXtincurvature of the jar. Thisplate is provided with 811151181l embOdyIlg the IlVeIlOD'- y pairs ofprojecting tongues l1 struck up from the Fig. 2 is a furtherelevation-thereof. metal thereof, and the'platemay be clamped to Fig.V 3is a fragmentary top plan view; z Athe jar by means of flexible metalstraps I8 and Fig, 4 ,is a detail section taken through lines I9. Theinner end of each strap is bent to pro-r 45 4--4o f Fig. 2. vide a hookportion I8a adapted to interlock Fig- 5 iS a detail SeCtOn taken throughlines v.with the tongues I1, andthe ends of the straps, 5 5 0f Fg`2 mias shown in Fig. 6, are permanently joined under Fig. 6 is a detailsetionrtaken through lines tension by folding the ends together asshown6-6 of Fig. 1.. .at 2l).

' Fig. 7 is a fragmentarysection illustrating aV The supporting plate I6is 'also provided with modified method of supporting the container.V`integrally projecting lugs `2I struck out from the Fig. Y8 is a detailView illustrating al modified metal thereof, these lugs carryingk atransverse means for clamping the' fusible element against riveted pin22 on which is mounted a coiled spring r 1 p23, In the illustratedembodiment of the in- '95 vention the wire of the spring has anintegrally extending portion 24 to the end of which is attached a hammer25.

According to the invention a reducing or differential mechanism isinterposed between the spring and fusible element and in the presentexample is in the form of a fulcrumed lever connected to the hammer wire24 and to the fusible element at diiferent distances from the fulcrum.The supporting plate I6 is provided with struck out lugs or tongues E25carrying a transverse riveted pin 25 on which is pivoted a lever 21. The

head of this lever has an arm 28 terminating in,- a notch adapted toconnect to the hammer wire and also has an arm 29 for connection to thefusible element. The arm 2S is adapted to lodge between lugs or tongues30 Struck out from the metal of the plate I6. These lugs have alinedapertures through which is inserted a pin 3l of suitable metal alloycapable of melting at thel predetermined temperature, such for example165 F. The ends of the fusible pin 3l may be riveted over, as shown inFigs. l and 2, so as to permanently'lock the fusible element in placeagainst unauthorized removal, and when the fusible pin is in place thelower end of the lever arm 29 is held thereby against outward swingingmovement, as shown in Fig. 4. The connection betweenthe hammer arm 24and the short arm 23 of the lever is in the present instanceaccomplished by means of a metal eyelet 32 which embraces the wire 24and lodges in the notch behind the arm 28. Preferably the eyelet link 32is locked against unauthorized detachment, and this may be accomplishedby means of notches in the lugs 25 which form projections 33underlapping the link 32 as shown in Fig. 4, As illustrated in Fig. 2the supporting lugs 30 for the fusible element are preferably positionedat an angle and the lever arm 29 extends at a corresponding angle so asto lie out of the path of the hammer arm 24.

It will be understood that when the temperature rises to thepredetermined degree thejfusible element 3l will fuse or melt, releasingthe arm 29 whereupon the tension of the spring arm 24 rwill'swing thelever about its pivot 215,V releasing the link 32, whereupon the hammerwill be actuated by the spring 23 to break the jar. The position of thehammer at this time is illustrated in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and 2.

Heretofore it has been the conventional practice to connect they hammeror its operating spring directly to the fusible element, or in suchmanner that the force exerted by the spring on the hammer is transmittedin direct ratio to the fusible element. Hence, in previous devices therehas been a pressure or force exerted on the fusible elementcorresponding to the force of the spring. These fusible elements areusually made of suitable metal alloy capable of melting at yanypredetermined temperature. Where, however, the force of the hammer armis applied directly to the fuse, I have found that there is a tendencyfor the :Fuse to weaken or fatigue at a lower temperature than that atwhich it is set to melt. For example, a fuse set at 165 might weakenunder hammer pressure of five or ten pounds at a temperature of from 25to 40 below-theset temperature, resulting in releasing the hammer andthus breaking the jar. This might frequently occur, for example, wherethe temperature in an attic reaches a high point in summer time, causingthe release of the hammer device without the presence of any fire. Ihave found that the pressure which the fusible pin will stand when coldoften has little relation to the tendency of the fusible pin to fatigueunder pressure at temperatures above 100 F., and although the fusibleelement may be theoretically produced so as not to fatigue, this is verydifficult in commercial production. I have found that a fusible elementdesigned to melt at 165 F. might be produced capable of withstanding asmuch as several hundred pounds shearing pressure when cold but whichwould give at temperatures around 135 F. under continued pressure ofonly ten pounds.

These disadvantages have been overcome in the present invention byinterposing a differential or ratio changing means between the fusibleelement and the spring. One form of leverage is illustrated in thepresent embodiment, although it is understood that various differentialmeans may be employed as alternative arrangements within theA spirit ofthis invention. /I haveI illustrated a simple form of leverage in 'whichthe fulcrum of the lever 21 is at 26 and the force of the spring isapplied at 28 relatively near the fulcrum. This force, which might forexample be ve pounds, is transmitted at a disproportionately 'less ratioto the pin 3| by the long arm of the Yagainst unauthorized opening. Ipreferably first place over the open neck Hita sheet of cellulosematerial 50, Ysuch asfcellophane, or other like cellulose derivative.This material is permanently held in place by interposing an adhesivesubstance, such as a glue not soluble in the iiuid,

between the sheet and edge of the jar neck.

The gasket l2 is preferably of some compressible material,v such ascork, and the capV H is rst applied under considerable verticalpressurel so that the gasket l2 forms a cushion effective to compensatefor irregularities in the upper edge of the jar and hence adapted-topress the cellulose sheet into uniform contact with the glass at allpoints. An air tight bond is thus produced. The press-ure on the cap ismaintained during the operation of rolling'its edge around the flange|00.. As a result of this method a'closure is produced which cannotreadily be tampered with and which will prevent any danger ofdecomposition of the iiuid.

The construction illustrated inFig. y7 is substantially the same as inthe previousembodiment with the exception that a separately formed anglemember 13a is provided, this memberbeing clamped in position against theflange or bead Illa by means of the side ange I l ofthe cap when thelatter is rolled beneath the flange or bead" of the Jar. A f

In the modified construction illustrated in Fig. 8 the fusible pin 3 lAis locked in' position by means of a metal clamp 5l. This clamp isstamped'to provide opposed pockets withinv which the ends of the 3| areanchored and is pressed into position to embrace the tongues 30 andpermanently hold the fusible element againstI unauthorized removal. f

I claim: 1. A fire extinguisher comprising a frangible container, ahammer device, means for supporting said device in position to engagethe'container, a spring acting on the hammer device and adapted to bedeiiected When said hammer device is retracted, a lever comprising apair of arms extending in the same direction and fulcrumed intermediatethe ends of said arms, said arms being of different lengths, aconnection between said hammer device andthe shorter arm'of said lever,and an independently supported fusible element positioned for engagementby the longer arm of said lever for holding the same in position tomaintain the hammer device in retracted position, said connection beingreleasable upon fusing of said element to permit actuation of the hammerdevice.

2. A re extinguisher comprising a frangible container, a supportingplate mounted on said container, a Ahammer carried by said plate toengage and fracture the frangible container when released, a springacting on the hammer and `adapted to be deflected when the hammer isretracted, means carried by said plate for independently supporting afusible member, a rockablev lever fulcrumed on said plate and having arelatively long arm engaging said fusible member for transmittingthereto a minorportion of the spring force ineffective to releasethefusible member at temperatures materially lessthan the meltingtemperature thereof, and means for releasably connecting said hammerdevice to said lever at a point substantially nearer said fulcrum thanthe point of engagement of said arm and fusible member, said means'beingeffective upon destruction of said fusible member to release the hammerdevice and permit actuation Y porting said fusible element, said leveracting to transmit from the spring a force on said fusible elementineffective to release the latter at temperaturesfmaterially less thanthe melting point thereof, a link detachably connecting said device andlever in such manner that upon destruction of said element theconnection is released thereby'permitting actuation of the hammerdevice, and means for locking said link to the lever when the latter isin operative engagement with lthe y Vdevice to said fusible element.

5. A fire extinguisher comprising a frangible jar adapted to contain afire extinguishing fluid, a hammer device having spring actuated meansadapted to actuate said hammer device upon the release thereof to`strike and fracture said frangible jar, a fusible element, means forsupporting said element in fixed position, and means for locking thehammer device against release except upon fusing of said fusibleelement, said means including a fulcrumed lever having connections withthe hammer device and fusible element at different distances from itsfulcrum to transmit a decreased force from the hammer device to saidelement.

6. A fire extinguisher comprising a permanently sealed air tightfrangible container containing fluid adapted to react on exposure to theatmosphere, a supporting plate clamped to the container and having ahammer pivotally mounted thereon, a spring for actuating the hammer toCER'HMCATE F GRREC'EEP# aten No. LQS, 172i. April 23, W35;

'RALPH Z. HOPKENS.

is zeby ceried chai error appears in the: prine specification @i theabsyve numbered miem reqaring cmreen as foisws: age 3, secon commu, lineZ, daim it, *2m* "evei" read slmen; m lines 29 am 34, clams and 5,rsgecvely, @fier "iuisum" insert he Wards in sash a mnner as; and thatthe sai Lamers aea should be read with these wrrecis mren tm the Samsmay @miam t@ me restr 0 the case in the Paem ice.

Signed m seaed his h day si Emy, A. D. i935.

Leslie Frazer (Seal) Acting Comu-iissimsg of atens,

